4 ways to maintain a strong relationship with your teenager

We all need positive interactions with each other in order to maintain happy and healthy relationships. And kids will be more likely to embrace your guidance and values after having established a strong pattern of interaction. Here are a number of ways to get closer to your teenage kids so that you can have a healthy and fulfilling relationship.

Teenagers need to get space to figure out their own identities and they also need to carve out their own path in life. As hard as it can be to accept the fact that your kids need distance, giving it to them helps them realize that they are in charge of their own lives. That way, they won't resent you for controlling them and they will find it easier to come to you when they need you.

Teenage kids care a lot about how they look in front of their friends. Don't show too much affection toward your kids in front of their friends, or you risk embarrassing them. Displays of affection are important but best kept in the family, so try to wait until kids are away from their friends to pepper them with hugs and kisses.

Some kids just don't like being hugged or kissed at all when they get into their teenage years. Parents can modify the way that you show affection to your kids using tactics other than smothering with hugs and kisses. You can try things like playing video games with them, reading together at the end of the day or watching a television show together. Sometimes just sharing the same space with your kids is as good as showing affection in other ways.

For teens, it's showing up that matters most. Teens need parents to stay actively engaged in their daily lives and to show up for the important moments. That means being present at sporting events, eating dinner together, being there to encourage them when they are doubting themselves and just generally supporting them as needed without them having to ask.